Cardiac Denervation for Arrhythmia Treatment with Transesophageal Ultrasonic Strategy in Canine Models

Stellate ganglion (SG) modification has been investigated for arrhythmia treatment. In this study, transesophageal SG imaging and intervention were explored using a homemade 30F integrated focused ultrasonic catheter in healthy mongrel canines in vivo. Anatomic details of SGs were ultrasonically imaged and evaluated. SG had a heterogeneous echoic structure and characteristic profiles sketched by hyper-echoic outlines in an ultrasonogram. Left SGs in the experimental group were successfully ablated through the esophagus under ultrasonic guidance provided by the catheter itself. Two weeks after the ablation, the QT and QTc of the experimental group decreased compared with those of the sham group and at baseline (both p values < 0.001). Histologic examination revealed that left SGs were destroyed. No major complications were observed. This approach may be further explored as a method for ganglia remodeling evaluation and as a strategy of ganglia modification for arrhythmia and for other diseases.     

Regional gray matter abnormality in hepatic myelopathy patients after transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt: a voxel-based morphometry study

Hepatic myelopathy is a complication seen in patients with chronic liver failure with physiologic or iatrogenic portosystemic shunting. The main symptom is progressive lower limb dyskinesia. The role of the brain motor control center in hepatic myelopathy is unknown. This study aimed to investigate the gray matter changes in patients with hepatic myelopathy secondary to transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt and to examine their clinical relevance. This was a cross-sectional study. Twenty-three liver failure patients with hepatic myelopathy(hepatic myelopathy group), 23 liver failure patients without hepatic myelopathy(non-hepatic myelopathy group) after transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt, and 23 demographically matched healthy volunteers were enrolled from March 2014 to November 2016 at Xijing Hospital, Air Force Military Medical University(Fourth Military Medical University), China. High-resolution magnetization-prepared rapid gradient-echo brain imaging was acquired. Group differences in regional gray matter were assessed using voxel-based morphometry analysis. The relationship between aberrant gray matter and motor characteristics was investigated. Results demonstrated that compared with the non-hepatic myelopathy group, gray matter volume abnormalities were asymmetric, with decreased volume in the left insula(P = 0.003), left thalamus(P = 0.029), left superior frontal gyrus(P = 0.006), and right middle cingulate cortex(P = 0.021), and increased volume in the right caudate nucleus(P = 0.017), corrected with open-source software. The volume of the right caudate nucleus in the hepatic myelopathy group negatively correlated with the lower limb clinical rating of the Fugl-Meyer Assessment(r = –0.53, P = 0.01). Compared with healthy controls, patients with and without hepatic myelopathy exhibited overall increased gray matter volume in both thalami, and decreased gray matter volume in both putamen, as well as in the globus pallidus, cerebellum, and vermis. The gray matter abnormalities we found predominantly involved motor-related regions, and may be associated with motor dysfunction. An enlarged right caudate nucleus might help to predict weak lower limb motor performance in patients with preclinical hepatic myelopathy after transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt. This study was approved by the Ethics Committee of Xijing Hospital, Air Force Military Medical University(Fourth Military Medical University), China(approval No. 20140227-6) on February 27, 2014.     

Different clinical features between patients with ROS1-positive and ALK-positive advanced non-small cell lung cancer

ObjectiveTo compare the baseline clinical characteristics between patients with ROS1-positive and ALK-positive advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), and the correlations of these subtypes with the distribution of metastases.MethodsWe compared the clinical characteristics and imaging features of patients with ROS1-positive and ALK-positive NSCLC using statistical methods.ResultsData for 232 patients were analyzed. Compared with ALK-positive NSCLC, ROS1-positive NSCLC was more likely to occur in women (71% vs 53%), and primary lesions ≤3 cm were more common in patients with ROS1-positive compared with ALK-positive NSCLC (58% vs 37%). There was no significant difference in the distribution of metastases between the two groups. Subgroup analysis within the ROS1-positive group showed that, compared with primary lesions >3 cm, primary lesions ≤3 cm were more likely to present as peripheral tumors (72% vs 43%) and more likely to exhibit non-solid density (44% vs 4%).ConclusionsAlthough ROS1-positive and ALK-positive NSCLCs show similar clinical features, the differences may help clinicians to identify patients requiring further genotyping at initial diagnosis.     

Sirt5 is dispensable for BrafV600E‐mediated cutaneous melanoma development and growth in vivo

Sirt5 is known to functionally regulate mitochondrial proteins by altering posttranslational modifications, including lysine desuccinylation. While roles for Sirt5 as either a tumor promoter or suppressor, or in chemoresistance, have been implicated in other cancers, the function of Sirt5 in cutaneous melanoma has not been well examined. Therefore, to determine whether Sirt5 is necessary for Braf^V600E‐mediated melanoma formation and/or disease progression, we crossed a genetically engineered murine melanoma model (Tyr^CreERT2/+; Braf^{LSL‐V600E/+}; Pten^flox/flox) to Sirt5^?/? knockout animals. In addition, we tested for synergism with a selective BRAF (V600E) inhibitor in Sirt5^?/? mouse melanoma cells. Taken together, this report demonstrates that, in these models, Sirt5 is dispensable for Braf^V600E‐mediated cutaneous melanoma formation and growth in vivo, and does not improve sensitivity to a selective BRAF inhibitor.     

Effect of different modeling time on intestinal bacteria in letrozole induced PCOS rats

Objective: The differences of ovarian morphology, reproductive hormones, glucose and lipid metabolism and intestinal bacteria in rats with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) induced by triazole were compared. Method: Eighteen 21 SPF female SD rats were randomly divided into group A (3-week group), group B (5-week group) and group D (control group) by random number table.Group A received letrozole + CMC-Na mixture by gavage in the first 3 weeks and CMC-Na solution by gavage in the last 2 weeks, group B received letrozole + CMC-Na mixture by gavage for 5 weeks, and group D received CMC-Na solution by gavage for 5 weeks, and all three groups of rats were fed with normal diet.At the end of gavage, the body weight of rats in each group was observed, the histological changes of ovaries were observed by hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining, the serum levels of estradiol (E2), follicle stimulating hormone (FSH), luteinizing hormone (LH), testosterone (T), total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG), fasting blood glucose (Glu), fasting insulin (FINS) and lipopolysaccharide (LPS) were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), and the LH/FSH ratio and insulin resistance index (HOMA IR) were calculated; the intestinal bacteria of rats were detected by 16S rRNA technique. Result: 1. Comparison of ovary histomorphology: Under light microscope, multiple luteum and oocytes were observed in mature follicles in group D, and granulosa cells were orderly arranged and multilayered, without cystic dilated follicles. There were no mature follicles in the ovarian tissues of group A and GROUP B. The follicles were irregular in structure and more cystic dilated follicles were visible. The number of granular cells in some follicles decreased or even disappeared. 2. Comparison of sex hormone levels: compared with group D, T level in group B was significantly increased (P < 0.001), and T level in group A had an upward trend (P > 0.05); The LH/FSH levels in group A and B were significantly increased (P < 0.001; P < 0.001). Compared with group A, E2 in group B was significantly decreased (P < 0.05) and T was significantly increased (P < 0.01). 3. Comparison of glucose and lipid metabolism levels: Compared with group D, TC levels in groups A and B were significantly increased (P < 0.01; P < 0.01). Compared with group A, TG in group B was significantly increased (P < 0.05). There were no significant differences in Glu, FINS and HOMA-IR levels among all groups. 4. Comparison of LPS levels: Compared with group D, the serum LPS levels of rats in groups A and B were significantly increased (P < 0.001; P < 0.01). 5. Intestinal flora analysis and comparison: At the phylum level, compared with group D, the abundance of Firmicutes in group B increased (P < 0.01), Firmicutes in group A showed an upward trend (P > 0.05), and the abundance of Bacteroidetes in groups A and B decreased (P < 0.05). At the genus level, compared with group D, Lactobacillus in group B increased (P < 0.01). The results of LEfSe analysis showed that there were differences in the composition of various intestinal bacteria among the three groups (LDA > 3).Conclusion: The phenotype of PCOS rats was related to the length of modeling, and the phenotypic characteristics of PCOS in rats at 5 weeks of modeling were more typical than those in rats at 3 weeks of modeling; PCOS can cause changes in intestinal flora, and the changes in the structure of intestinal flora between groups are related to different modeling duration.     

主动脉夹层患者术前决策现状及影响因素分析

目的 了解主动脉夹层患者术前决策现状并分析其影响因素，为决策辅助方案构建提供参考。方法 在患者知情同意的基础上，采用一般资料调查表、决策参与量表、决策冲突量表对110例主动脉夹层患者进行调查。结果 主动脉夹层患者术前决策过程中，59例(53.64%)倾向于与医生共享决策，但实际参与过程中60例(54.54%)为被动决策。患者决策冲突得分45.91±9.30。多元逐步回归结果显示，并存疾病数量、婚姻状况、家庭月收入、以往就医体验、实际参与角色是主动脉夹层患者决策冲突的主要影响因素(P<0.05,P<0.01)。结论 主动脉夹层患者术前决策期望与实际参与存在差异，决策冲突处于高水平，且受多因素影响。医务人员应加强与患者的沟通，尊重患者决策偏好，以信息支持为基础构建决策辅助工具，为患者提供适当决策支持，降低决策冲突。     

Immune evasion mechanisms and therapeutic strategies in gastric cancer

Gastric cancer (GC) is a malignancy with a high incidence and mortality. The tumor immune microenvironment plays an important role in promoting cancer development and supports GC progression. Accumulating evidence shows that GC cells can exert versatile mechanisms to remodel the tumor immune microenvironment and induce immune evasion. In this review, we systematically summarize the intricate crosstalk between GC cells and immune cells, including tumor-associated macrophages, neutrophils, myeloid-derived suppressor cells, natural killer cells, effector T cells, regulatory T cells, and B cells. We focus on how GC cells alter these immune cells to create an immunosuppressive microenvironment that protects GC cells from immune attack. We conclude by compiling the latest progression of immune checkpoint inhibitor-based immunotherapies, both alone and in combination with conventional therapies. Anti-cytotoxic T-lymphocyte-associated protein 4 and anti-programmed cell death protein 1/programmed death-ligand 1 therapy alone does not provide substantial clinical benefit for GC treatment. However, the combination of immune checkpoint inhibitors with chemotherapy or targeted therapy has promising survival advantages in refractory and advanced GC patients. This review provides a comprehensive understanding of the immune evasion mechanisms of GC, and highlights promising immunotherapeutic strategies.